Zootopia: Changes
by ZootopiaLover1186
Summary: A new Mayor has been elected to the city of Zootopia, and although everything seems to run smoothly for awhile, it later becomes clear that this Mayor's motives are not at all what they seem. Things start slowly changing around the city, and eventually a law is passed that threatens to tear Nick and Judy's partnership and friendship apart.
1. Chapter 1: New Fox on the Block

Zootopia: Changes

Nick Wilde has never known what it's like to have a father. He was raised by his mother, who rarely ever talked about who he was or what he did. In short, his father has always been a mystery; and a touchy subject. However, an anonymous tip he and Judy receive during a routine case might just lead him to the fox he's been waiting to meet for his entire life…

Chapter 1: New Fox on the Block

The ZPD was absolutely ecstatic to welcome Nicholas P. Wilde into the precinct. Honestly, Nick didn't expect a huge celebration upon his arrival or anything. He just expected to start his shift the next day without much fanfare from any of the officers. However, this wasn't the case. He received pats on the backs, many congratulatory gestures, and even a nod of respect from the Chief of Police, Bogo. He had never experienced anything quite like it, and it was definitely heartwarming. Also, it was definitely a far cry from how he had been treated in the past. It felt great; after all of this time, after every bad mistake he had ever made in his life, this was it. He finally felt at home.

He walked through the entrance of the station with his head held high and his tail happily swishing, a huge smile on his face that he simply couldn't hide. "Officer Wilde!" Fangmeyer said with a grin. "Looking sharp in that uniform buddy!"

Nick smiled back and saluted, then continued walking. He wasn't quite sure about the details yet, but Chief Bogo had summoned he and Judy to his office to discuss something, "Very important." Was he nervous? He would be lying if he said he wasn't. Nick wasn't typically the nervous type, but when you're summoned to your boss's office to discuss an very important topic, that tends to send the nerves into overdrive.

He arrived at Bogo's office door to see that his partner Judy Hopps was already there. She was wearing her more formal uniform, the one she had worn on the day she presented him with his name tag and badge. "Wow Judy, you look...very professional," Nick said with a smile.

Judy smiled back warmly. "Why thank you Nick," she said happily, "and may I say you look very handsome...for a fox anyway." She smiled with a slyness that he was almost positive was inspired by him.

"Oh, this is the part where I'm supposed to blush and get all tongue tied, right?" Nick said as he sat down next to her on the bench and crossed his legs. "Sorry sweetheart, you happen to be talking to a real ladies fox; I'm used to those kinds of complments."

"I thought you only got compliments like that from your mother," she said with another sly grin.

"Geez Carrots, where are all of these quips coming from?" Nick asked as he grinned and straightened his tie.

Judy just shrugged and ran her paw through the fur between her ears. "I guess you could say I learned from the best. You're the king of witty comebacks remember? It rubs off after awhile."

"Then you're in big, big trouble," Nick said jokingly. Their joking back and forth came to a grinding halt when the door to Bogo's office swung open. The Chief of Police walked out and glared (as he usually did) at Nick and Judy. "Ah, Wilde and Hopps," he said in a very monotone, unamused voice. "Please come in."

Nick and Judy entered Bogo's office, which was pretty much devoid of any personal items whatsoever. There was his desk, two chairs, and one small couch at the far end. Other than that, it was the most bland looking office the two had ever seen. "Have a seat," he said gruffly.

Nick and Judy obeyed and took their seats, and Bogo sat across from then and folded his hooves. "As you know, there is a parade scheduled for tomorrow afternoon; its to celebrate the anniversary of the official unification of predator and prey, as well as the official inauguration of the new Mayor.

Mayor Tigerpaw had won the recent mayoral election by a landslide, and although there were mixed feelings about his potential electoral run, many citizens felt indifferent after the disastrous tenure of Mayor Lionheart. Bogo continued, "You two are going to be in charge of making sure the parade stays safe and secure. There are some...'Mixed feelings'...about our new mayor, so his cabinet has requested some extra protection. In light of the Nighthowler case we can't be too cautious."

"Roger that Chief," Judy said with a salute. She looked over at her partner, who was busy trying to swat a bothersome fly away. She cleared her throat loudly and intentionally. "Did you catch that, Officer Wilde?" she said in an aggravated tone.

Nick shook his head as he snapped back to attention. "Yeah, yeah, make sure the parade stays safe and secure...got it."

Judy rolled her eyes, and Bogo grumbled something under his breath before saying, "Mr. Wilde, this is your first official mission as Judy's full time partner. I strongly suggest that you take it seriously. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes sir, I understand," he answered nervously. "I promise I won't let you down."

"Good," Bogo said indifferently. "The parade starts tomorrow morning, 8 A.M. sharp; you're dismissed."

Nick and Judy sat across from each other at the local sandwich shop later that evening, and they were both feeling a bit anxious their recent assignment. "What do you think Bogo meant when he said that there were "Mixed feelings" about Mayor Tigerpaw?"

Judy sighed as she picked up her sandwich and examined it. "Mayor Tigerpaw was one of those animals that voted against the unification of predator and prey," she answered. "My guess is that he organized this year's parade and his official inauguration on the same day in an attempt to make himself look good. You know, score points with those who doubted him."

"But you think he still feels the same way about predator and prey relations?" Nick asked, helping himself to a generous bite of his sandwich.

Judy shrugged, looking a bit uneasy. "I honesty don't know. I mean, his whole campaign just seemed...off. He looked like he was just smiling through his teeth and saying what everyone wanted to hear just so he could win the election."

"Well it must have worked, because the election wasn't even close," Nick said. He stirred some sugar into his tea and then continued. "After all, I mean, isn't that kinda what politicians do these days anyway?"

Judy glared at her partner. "Yes, and that's not the way to do it," she said angrily. "If you stop and think about it, that's how we got stuck with a corrupt politician like Lionheart. Everyone thought he was the picture of perfection; one of the greatest mayors that ever lived. Well, look what happened: he ended up covering up an entire conspiracy just to save his own tail. It backfired on everyone, and it cost him his job, thank goodness."

"Look, I know that whole fiasco was awful," Nick said, "but you have to have faith in others. Maybe this Tigerpaw guy will be the best Mayor the city has ever seen."

Judy looked at Nick with a grin. "This coming from the mammal who scammed others on a regular basis?"

Nick frowned. "That's not me anymore Carrots," he said firmly. "I've changed, and all I'm saying is that maybe you start believing that that's possible for others too."

Judy thought about the fox's words for a moment. Maybe he was right. Other than the fact that Tigerpaw had voted against the predator/prey unification bill, he had a squeaky clean record (as far as anyone knew), and he was hardly an animal that gave off a gruff, mean persona. Still, there was something about him that just gave her an uneasy feeling. She smiled a bit and, although still unconvinced, said, "Okay Nick, maybe you're right."

"I'm always right," the fox said with a grin. "Now come on Fluff, let's enjoy dinner. We've got a bit day ahead of us tomorrow, right?"

Judy nodded. "Okay, deal," she said as she picked up her sandwich and took a large bite. However, even though she tried her best to heed her partner's words, she felt a deep sense of unrest. She couldn't help but feel like something terrible was on the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2: The Inauguration

Chapter 2: The Inauguration

Judy's anxiety followed her all the way to City Hall, where the Mayoral Inauguration and parade were taking place. Nick was stationed on the South end of the block, where the parade was scheduled to begin, while Judy was monitoring the area where the parade was to begin. The plan was that they would meet in the middle, and report to each other _anything_ suspicious.

"Foxtrot to Fuzztail, Foxtrot to Fuzztail...come in Fuzztail." Nick's voice came through the radio hanging off of Judy's belt, and she let out a frustrated sigh.

'Nick, what did I tell you about these?" she demanded. "These are not, and I repeat, NOT, to be used as toys!"

"Ah come on Fluff, you gotta learn how to have fun!" Nick's voice came through again. "Besides, the parade isn't going to start for another ten minutes."

"That's ten minutes we could be using to scout the area for anything out of the ordinary...Nick, you were trained on this..." Judy said with ire.

"Okay, okay, sheesh...over and out then," Nick answered as the airwaves were once again filled with silence. It was unseasonably warm outside, and the air was very still and humid. The scent of freshly trimmed grass and cotton candy from the concession stands filled the air. She smiled as she saw two leopard cubs walking next to each other with large plates of funnel cakes, talking excitedly amongst each other. Seeing as how they were joking around with each other as much as they were, she figured they must be brothers. For a brief, fleeting moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of homesickness. She missed the interactions that she used to have with her own brothers and sisters; whether it was hugging each other or playfully pushing and shoving each other around.

Suddenly Judy's thoughts were interrupted by the fanfare of a marching band; the parade had started. She swiftly took her position in a nearby alley, and she saw in the distance that Nick was doing the same. The parade seemed to go off without a hitch. The band sounded fantastic, and there were multiple exotic and classic vehicles adorning it as well. At about the midway point of the parade, the floats began to emerge. Some of them were extremely colorful and attractive, while others clearly needed a lot more work. After about twenty minutes, the parade ended...without a single incident.

Judy's radio clicked momentarily before Nick's voice came through: "That was somewhat...uneventful," he said in a dull tone.

"I think I have to agree," Judy answered, "this was the most boring parade I think I've..." she stopped as she noticed a strange figure walking away from the tail of the parade. She didn't recognize it as one that had been a part of it. "Nick, do you see someone strange about 200 yards Southeast of your position?"

"Yeah, just saw him," Nick responded quickly. "I'm going to see if I can head him off; he's headed toward the concession stands."

"Roger, I'm taking a shortcut and heading that way," Judy said as she holstered her radio. She saw that the figure was moving at a speed that wouldn't necessarily be considered suspiciously fast, but whoever it was they were certainly in somewhat of a hurry. She ducked in and out of crowds as she tried desperately to keep track of the figure. She saw it head toward the stage where Mayor Tigerpaw was scheduled to give his speech, then quickly disappear behind it. "Shoot! Lost sight of him!" she said in frustration. "There's too many other animals here!"

"I still have him in my sights!" Nick responded excitedly, "I'm cutting him off now!"

"Great job partner! I'm headed your way, don't lose them!" She moved as quickly as she could towards her partner's position, which she surmised was very close to the stage. She was right; there was Nick, standing behind it...but no sign of the suspicious figure. "Where did they go? What happened?" Judy demanded.

"I swore I saw them come this way, I was positive!" Nick said in frustration. "I had their scent and everything, then it just...disappeared."

"Keep your guard up, I can almost guarantee that they're still close by," Judy said as she drew her tranquilizer gun.

Nick nodded and drew his own weapon as they both scouted out the area. After several minutes, they both looked at each other with disappointment as they realized they had lost their target. "I just don't get it," Judy said angrily. "I mean, where could they have gone?"

Nick's nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. "No idea, but I know this much: I can't pick up their scent either." He sighed as he holstered his tranquilizer gun. "Let's just get to our vantage point for the speech. We need to make sure the mayor is protected."

"You're right, let's go," Judy said as she quickly made her way to their determined vantage point with Nick in tow. They made their way to their respective vantage points; atop an old abandoned two story building that gave them a perfect bird's eye view of the podium where Tigerpaw was going to give his speech. Neither one of them saw anything suspicious, but Judy could sense danger in the air. It was something that she had possessed since she was a just a kid. If something bad was about to happen, she felt it. Her ears would perk up and refuse to go down, her heart rate would skyrocket, and her nose would twitch uncontrollably. It was a sixth sense that, admittedly, gave her an advantage when it came to working on the police force.

Just then, they both saw Mayor Solomon Tigerpaw being escorted by two of his secret service mammals. Tigerpaw himself was a fairly decent sized animal, although still not quite as large as Mayor Lionheart had been. He walked up to the podium with a large smile on his face. He certainly looked as though he could be a trustworthy leader. In all honesty, aside form the fact that he had voted against the Mammal Unification Act, his morals seemed to be borderline respectable. Still, her heightened senses refused to give her solace.

Nick and Judy both watched as Tigerpaw stepped up to the microphone and began to speak:

"Citizens of Zootopia; my name is Solomon Tigerpaw, and I am overjoyed at the opportunity to be your new Mayor. Now, a lot of you may be wondering what my goals are, especially after the horrendous incidents initiated by Dawn Bellwether and the whole Nighthowler fiasco. My answer to that is simple: diligence. Our police force and military will be increased exponentially to ensure that no one ever pulls a stunt like that ever again. Furthermore,"

Just then, something caught Judy's eye. A shadowy figure moved slowly out from behind a tree, and was slowly moving towards the podium…

"NICK!" she shouted as she drew her weapon and leaped down from her vantage point. Nick wasn't too far behind, and the pair quickly darted toward the figure….too late. A few seconds later,

there was a deafening bang, followed by a blinding flash of light. Nick and Judy both shielded their eyes, as well as everyone else attending the inauguration. The chaos didn't stop there; a few seconds later, the entire area filled with smoke. The sounds of coughing and screaming could be heard, along with the distant screeching of tires.

"Judy, Tigerpaw!" Nick yelled out as the smoke finally cleared. Judy turned to look at the stage, which was now completely empty, except for Tigerpaw's secret service members, who were knocked out cold…

"He's... _gone_ ," Judy said in disbelief.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ghosts

Judy's eyes were fixated on the car that had just sped away. She squinted as she struggled to catch a glimpse of the license plate as it took off. Unfortunately, the car was too quick, and she only caught the first three digits: ZT1.

"Nick, hurry, we have to catch that car!" Judy said urgently as she darted towards their patrol car.

"All right, let's move!" Nick said as he followed close behind his partner. They reached the patrol car in record time and quickly began their pursuit. It wasn't long before they caught up to the vehicle: a large black SUV. Sure enough, there were the first three digits Judy had seen: ZT1.

"Paw to the floor Carrots, don't hold back!" Nick shouted as he got on his radio. "This is Officer Wilde; we're in pursuit of a black SUV! The perpetrators are in possession of the Mayor!"

" _Roger that, don't lose them!"_ came the frantic voice of Benjamin Clawhauser on the other end of the radio.

The pursuit got more and more intense as it went along, with the assailants doing everything they could to throw Judy off. She wasn't going down easily however, as she expertly maneuvered through everything that was put in her path. The chase finally led them to the heart of the city, which is exactly where Judy wanted them…

"I'm going to head them off!" she exclaimed. She watched as the SUV took a sharp left, and she took an immediate right. She whipped the patrol car around corner after corner, until she finally came to a stop.

"Uh...Judy?" Nick said as she raised an eyebrow in both concern and confusion, "what exactly is your plan here?"

He got his answer when he saw the SUV slide around a corner, and realized that the patrol car was blocking their only exit; there was nowhere for it to go. "Aha, trapped! Take that you jerks!" Nick shouted gleefully. His glee turned to fear however when he realized the SUV wasn't slowing down or looking to turn around...it was speeding up. "Uh...Carrots?" he said, pointing at the oncoming vehicle, "they're speeding up!"

Judy didn't budge...she held her paw firmly on the brake as the SUV continued to gain speed. It was now only mere yards from them and approaching fast. "JUDY!" Nick shouted, his ears laced back, "what's the matter with you?! Move!"

Judy didn't listen; she simply gripped the steering wheel tight, bracing for the impact. Nick closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, expecting the worst. Then, without warning, Judy tossed something out of her window. Nick didn't see what it was, but the next thing he knew, he heard the deafening sound of tires popping. The next thing Nick knew, the SUV was airborne, literally flipping over their patrol car. After a few seconds, the SUV landed with a clang and a thud, sliding a few feet before coming to rest against a stone wall.

Judy turned to Nick and grinned. "Never leave home without a spike strip," she said gleefully. She threw open her door and approached the now wrecked vehicle, weapon drawn. "ALL RIGHT, PAWS IN THE AIR!" She yelled forcefully. Nick approached the passenger door with his weapon drawn as well, his teeth bared and ready for a fight...but nothing happened. Nick had a terrible, sinking feeling in his chest...something just didn't feel right. "I SAID PAWS IN THE AIR!" Judy repeated forcefully, tightening her grip on the tranquilizer gun.

"Judy," Nick said, placing his paw gently on her shoulder, "I don't smell anything...no one is in that vehicle."

"Nick that's impossible," Judy retorted, not taking her eyes off of the car. Nick was more than convinced that he was right, however; so much so that he holstered his weapon and opened the driver's side door.

"Nick no, what are you…?!" Judy started to protest, but then saw the look of affirmation on her partner's face. No one made a move to attack Nick...because he was right; the car was empty. "What the…?" she finally relaxed and holstered her own weapon, moving slowly towards the car. Sure enough, it was completely abandoned. "I don't believe this," she said in bewilderment.

"Yep, completely derelict," Nick said, sticking his head into the car and giving it a thorough search. He saw nothing out of the ordinary in the back seats; just a normal four door sedan setup. However, when he checked out the shift knob, he noticed something off. Instead of a regular, uniform color, he noticed that it was clear, and through it he could see a blinking red light. "Hey Fluff, check this out," he said, motioning with his head toward the shift knob.

After a few moments, she noticed what Nick was wanting her to see. "What in the world is that?" she asked, her nose twitching in confusion.

"Well I'm not sure exactly," Nick said, exiting the vehicle and crossing his arms, "but if I had to guess, I would say that it's the device that was controlling the car."

"It's...a drone," Judy said, a bit of disappointment creeping into her voice. "Nick, I think I know what might have happened. When I said I knew a shortcut, and we lost sight of the car for just a little bit..."

"That must have been the time that they sent out this drone vehicle," Nick finished her sentence for her.

"Then...we lost the real perpetrators," Judy said in disappointment. She shook her head and slumped down against a wall. "This is all my fault Nick...who knows where the real criminals are now."

Nick sat down next to the distressed bunny and put a paw on her shoulder. "Judy, remember what you told me when I first joined the force; when I was having all of that trouble finishing the training course?"

Judy sighed and put her chin between her knees, then rolled her eyes as she said, "That all of our best successes come from our worst failures."

Nick nodded and smiled. "Now, I don't know about you, but I've taken those words to heart. We're not giving up on this, okay? The Mayor wouldn't want us to, right?" He gently lifted her chin up with his paw.

Judy looked up at the fox and smiled. "You're absolutely right Nick," she said with her usual pep.

Nick smiled back. "Atta bunny! Now, I think I have an idea on who can help us identify where this tech came from. It might lead us to who's behind this fiasco...or at least put us in the ballpark."

Judy's ears perked up. "Really? Who?" she asked.

Nick just let a sly smile cross his face as he said, "Oh, just an old friend…."


	4. Chapter 4: An Old Friend

Chapter 4

Judy followed her partner through a more than unfavorable section of the city. Trash littered the streets, windows were broken on almost every building and house, and there didn't appear to be many signs of life. She felt uneasy as she continued to keep pace with Nick, still unsure as to where they were going. "Nick, how can you be so sure that whoever this is will be willing to help us?" she asked, wincing as she felt something wet and sticky touch the bottom of her paw.

"Relax Carrots, he owes me a favor," Nick smiled as he casually strolled along. Judy found it a bit strange that Nick didn't seem to be rattled at all by the deplorable conditions of this part of Zootopia. Of course, it was then that she remembered his past as a hustler. Chances are he had encountered sections of the city much worse than this.

They continued to walk for another mile or so until they came to the end of a block. Judy looked around and noticed that there were no other houses around the area; it was nothing but dead end streets. "Uh, Nick? Where are we, exactly?" Judy asked, her nose twitching in confusion.

"This, my curious little bunny friend, is The Gallows," he answered, waving his paw in front of him. "Come on, follow me."

"But...Nick...there's nothing here,"Judy protested, although she obeyed and continued to follow Nick. "The last house was back that way."

"Well see, that's where you're confused Fluff," the fox said with a swish of his large, bushy tail. "We're not looking for a _house_." They walked a few more yards until they came to the end of a dead end street, and there, in the shadows, was a familiar sight: a van…a black van with a mural on the side, belonging to a certain Fennec fox named Finnick."

"Finnick?" Judy cried out in disbelief, "THAT'S who we came all this way to see? How is he going to be any help?"

"You really should give him a chance Judy," Nick said with what she perceived as a little bit of over the top confidence. "He just might surprise you."

"Nick, the only thing surprising about Finnick is that he's managed to stay out of jail as long as he has!" Judy said angrily. "He's a criminal, Nick! He's no better..."

"Than I was, right?" Nick asked, turning to face Judy. She saw by his expression that he was no longer sporting his signature sly smile. It had instead been replaced by a look of aggravation and hurt. "Look, Finnick has had it rough...WAY rougher than I have. I at least have my mom to help me out of hard times, but Finnick? He never even knew either one of his parents. He's been an orphan his entire life. Yeah, he may not be Mr. 'Upstanding Citizen,' but he's still my friend."

Judy sighed and shook her head. "Okay Nick, I'm sorry. We'll give him a chance."

"Good," Nick said, his smile returning. He made his way to the back door of Finnick's van and knocked. A few seconds passed before they finally heard some shuffling. "Yeah, who is it?!" came the deep, gruff voice of the Fennec fox.

"Buddy, it's me, and Judy," Nick answered. "Look, I know it's kind of late, but we need your help."

There was a few moments of silence, then the back door of the van swung open slowly. There, barely visible in the shadows, was Finnick the Fennec fox. His fur was much longer than it was when Nick and Judy had last seen him. His ears were still large and pointy, but one of them drooped considerably, and his shirt was tattered and torn. His trademark scowl covered his face, and his nostrils flared in aggravation. "Well, if it isn't the fox/bunny cop duo," he said without any enthusiasm whatsoever. "Why do you need _my_ help? Don't you have a whole precinct full of dudes who could help you out?"

"Not really, Finnick," Nick answered with a shake of his head. "This requires a more..." he stopped for a second as he searched for the right word, "SLY frame of mind."

Finnick raised an eyebrow quizically, then motioned with his head. "All right, all right, come in," he said softly. Nick and Judy entered the van, which Finnick had actually called his home for quite some time. Come to think of it, it pretty much had everything he could ever need: a T.V., microwave, mini-fridge, and even a large stereo. "All right, spill it, what's goin' on?" Finnick asked as he plopped down on his couch and stuck a toothpick in between his teeth.

"It concerns Mayor Tigerpaw," Judy said, unable to hide the urgency in her voice. "About an hour ago, he was kidnapped by an unknown entity. This happened at around 0900 hours. Then, at around..."

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up," Finnick interrupted, holding up his paws. "I don't do the whole military/police time thing."

Judy rolled her eyes and slumped her shoulders. "Fine, at around 9 A.M., the Mayor was kidnapped during his inauguration speech. Then, we engaged in a high speed car chase at around 9:05 A.M. The vehicle in question unfortunately escaped. However, we did find an exact replica of the vehicle at the end of an alley, practically totaled. The license plate was identical and everything."

Judy was surprised to see that Finnick looked like he was actually listening to her intently. "So it sounds like you two were duped," he said flatly.

"Uh...well, yeah, for lack of a better term," Nick chimed in, "but I actually prefer the term 'Pleasantly tricked' more than 'Duped.'"

Finnick chuckled as he twirled the toothpick around in his teeth. "All right, so then what happened?" he demanded.

"Then, my vertically challenged friend, we found _this."_ Nick produced the blinking shift knob from behind his back, and the toothpick that Finnick was twirling suddenly stopped moving. "Now THAT looks interesting," he said with a grin. "All right, bring that thing over here. Let's see what we're dealin' with.

Finnick took the device over to the front of his van and hooked it up to a laptop which was sitting on his front seat. Judy noticed right away that it was a very fancy and expensive laptop. "Uh, Finnick?" she said, raising her eyebrow, "where did you get that laptop?"

"Gift," the little fox said simply. He took the shift knob and turned it over repeatedly in his paws. "Come on baby, talk to me," Finnick said as he appeared to be searching for something.

Judy looked perplexed. "I don't think it's going to answer you back Finnick," she said, putting her paws on her hips.

Finnick ignored her and continued examining the shift knob intently. "Ah yeah, there it is!" he said excitedly. He poked his claw in between a small crevice and pried a very small cover open. There, underneath the cover, was a chip. "Now, if this is what I think it is, we'll be in business." He took the small chip out of it's hiding place and inserted it into the laptop's data port. A few seconds passed before a message appeared on the screen: HEXCORP.

"HEXCORP?" Judy said, her nose wrinkled in confusion. "What in the world is that?"

"Never heard of it," Finnick said, once again twirling the toothpick around in his mouth. "But judging by the advanced tech you found here, they must be pretty intense."

"You think they may have had some part to do with the Mayor's kidnapping?" Nick asked, looking at the large letters on the screen.

"It's possible," Judy answered, her ears fully erect in thought and concentration. "Fiinnick, can you find out where HEXCORP is located?"

The little fox grinned. "Sure, but it'll cost ya."

Judy let out an exasperated sigh. "Finnick, don't you think it's time to give up a life of crime? All you ever think about is hustling and finding ways to get everything you want; that's not the way to live."

"Hey, I live my life how I want, you two live yours," Finnick answered crossly. He clicked a few times until he came to a screen that contained a map. "Well, well, looky here," he said proudly. The map showed that the corporation in question was located just outside of Savannah Central.

"Savannah huh?" Nick said, crossing his arms. "Well, looks like we have our destination! Let's go check it out."

"Right, let's go!" Judy said, a look of excitement crossing her face. "Thanks for your help Finnick!" she said as she exited the van.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, clearly un-amused. "Just remember, you owe me guys!"

"We'll write an I.O.U.," Nick said jokingly. With that, Nick and Judy entered the patrol car and burned rubber towards their destination. Finnick watched as they took off, then smirked as he said to himself, "Heh...cops," and slammed the door to his van shut.


	5. Chapter 5: Deceptions

Chapter 5: Deceptions

Nick and Judy left Finnick's van with many more questions than answers: What in the world was HEXCORP, and why hadn't they heard of it before now? What other kinds of tech were they building besides the self driving mechanisms? And...most importantly...was this DANGEROUS tech?

"Carrots, how long have we been driving?" Nick asked, looking out the window as he spoke. Outside there was nothing but darkness as rain pounded the windshield. The wind was howling louder than Nick had ever heard it howl before, and the road ahead of them seemed to get more and more narrow and treacherous.

"I'd say we've been driving for a little over an hour now," Judy answered. She checked her GPS system mounted on the dash of the police car. "Looks like we still have several miles to go."

"Good, I'm hungry, and I really, really have to pee..." Nick said as he crossed his legs.

Judy sighed, then smiled. "Do ALL foxes have as small a bladder as you have?" she asked in amusement.

Nick scoffed at the question. "I hardly think making fun of my bladder capacity is going to help time go by any faster, Carrots," he said as he crossed his arms and raised his snout into the air.

"Okay fine, then let me ask you a question," Judy said, her expression turning much more serious. "Do you...still consider Finnick your friend?"

Nick was a bit surprised by the question, and wasn't quite sure how to answer it right away. "I...well, yeah, of course he is," he finally managed to spit out. "Why would you ask that question?"

"You could barely look him in the eye when we were in his van," Judy said, keeping her eyes on the road. "I mean, I know that you and Finn have been friends for a long time, but can you really look me in the eyes and say that everything is all right between you two?"

Nick sighed and picked a loose strand of red fur off of his uniform. "Okay, yeah, we had a little bit of a falling out after I joined the force," he said firmly, "and we had our fair share of arguments. But to say that we're no longer friends? That our relationship has been fractured in some way…? No, I really don't think it has."

"Nick, Finnick is a bad influence," Judy said firmly. She didn't mean to blurt it out, but it was something she had had on her mind for quite some time.

Nick looked as though he had been doused with ice cold water. Then, ever so gradually, his features turned to anger and annoyance. "How do you figure that?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Judy.

"Nick he's NEVER had a steady job, he's constantly in trouble, and he's just rude," Judy said. She realized that this would be difficult for Nick to hear, but she felt that it was her job as his partner to not only keep him safe, but to weed out negative influences in his life as well; one of them being Finnick.

"Hmm, sounds familiar to me," Nick said as he cradled his chin in his paw, as if deep in thought. "Someone else had a similar lifestyle...who was that...oh, now I remember...ME!" He looked angrily at Judy, a bit perturbed by her judgemental nature. "Judy, you're treating Finnick like you once treated me: judging him by his status as a shifty fox. If anyone should know the capacity for a mammal's ability to change, it should be you. Finnick isn't all bad, you know. He has helped me through a lot of dark times in my life."

Judy sighed, realizing that it was hopeless at this point trying to get Nick to see her point of view. "Okay Nick, I'm sorry," she said softly.

"You know, if it weren't for Finnick, you might not have found me under that bridge in time," Nick said, turning his gaze back to the outside world. "What do you think would have happened then?"

"You're right Nick, I'm sorry," Judy answered, now regretting even ever starting the conversation. "Let's just drop it."

"Good idea," Nick grumbled. He tried to hide the anger and hurt in his voice, but Judy could tell it was still there. She knew she should have just kept her thoughts to herself. Unfortunately, that was sometimes difficult for her to do…

They drove about another six miles until they had finally reached the coordinates they had been searching for. They expected to see a huge building surrounded by hundreds of vehicles, but instead they saw...absolutely nothing.

"Uh, Carrots?" Nick said as Judy stopped the car. "Are you seeing anything of particular importance here?"

Judy was dumbfounded. She looked down at her GPS device, then back up into the emptiness. "Nick, what is this…?" she asked, clearly as confused as her partner.

"Judy, I think we may have been duped," he answered. "There's no signs of life anywhere, let alone a factory."

"But why would someone go through the trouble to send us all the way out here?" she asked, taking a few steps forward and searching desperately for anything that would give them a clue.

"No idea Judy, but I have a terrible feeling," Nick replied, his ears and nose twitching as his sensed suddenly began going haywire.

Back at his van, Finnick watched on the screen of his laptop as Nick and Judy wandered around in confusion. His emotions were a whirlwind; something he had never felt before. He felt a mix of sadness and pity, but at the same time he knew exactly what had to be done. His paw hung over the button as he watched the pair edge closer and closer to the spot that he wanted them in. Suddenly, Finnick's mind was flooded with a barrage of memories: the first time that he and Nick had met...the first time he had ever seen Nick cry...the first time that they had ever hustled another animal..."No Finn, no...you gotta do this..."

He watched as Nick and Judy were now just inches away. "Come on you two...just a little more," he said silently. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, they were in perfect position. He moved his paw over the button until the tip of his claw was touching it. _No, you can't do this,_ he thought to himself. _These two animals are you friends, Finnick! Dang man, what's wrong with you?!"_ But he knew in his heart that the only way to get what he needed was to push that button. He closed his eyes and looked away as he said, "I'm so sorry you two..." Moments later he pressed the button, knowing full well that what he had done would haunt him forever.


	6. Chapter 6: Under Pressure

Chapter 6: Under Pressure

Nick took a few steps forward while signaling for Judy to stay behind. "Nick, what is it?" she asked, knowing full well that the way he was acting meant that he sensed danger. His tail was almost completely straight out, as well as his ears, and Judy could tell that he was sniffing the air. It was at this moment that Nick heard something; a very deep rumble. It started out low, then became louder and louder. His eyes went wide as he suddenly got a sickening, sinking feeling in his gut. He squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, and his jaw dropped open as he noticed that the ground in front of them was crumbling and sinking…

"Judy...run...RUN!" Nick cried out as he turned around and bolted in the opposite direction. Without even waiting for her to obey, he scooped her up and took off like a rocket. He looked behind him and saw that the collapsing ground was quickly catching up to them. He bolted in several different directions at once, all the while avoiding large rocks and other obstacles that got in his way. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his paw, and felt himself being launched forward. Judy went flying through the air and landed on her back on the hard ground.

"JUDY!" Ignoring his throbbing paw, he crawled forward and tended to his partner. "Judy, are you okay?" he asked in a panic.

"I'm fine Nick, be we have to keep moving!" she yelled over the deafening sound of the ground collapsing around them. Nick nodded and started to run, but the pain in his paw sent him right back to the ground. "Aagh!" he cried out in pain as he gripped his injured paw. "Judy I...I can't run...I can't run..." he said, realizing that the level of danger they were in had now increased exponentially.

"Oh Nick, just stay calm," Judy said, inching towards her partner. She had apparently moved from her spot just in time, as the patch of ground she was just on abruptly collapsed. Breathing heavily in relief, she moved over close to Nick's position to examine his injured paw. There was a great amount of swelling, but no apparent sign of a break.

"Nick please, get up, we have to move!" Judy pleaded, watching helplessly as he winced in pain. He finally was able to get to a standing position, but could barely put any weight on his now severely swollen paw.

"Okay...I'll give it my best shot," Nick said with a weak smile. He limped along slowly, doing his best to follow Judy's lead as she and the fox did what they could to avoid the chaos all around them. The pair thought they had finally escaped the carnage, until Nick suddenly felt the ground give way underneath him.

"NICK!" Judy cried out as she reached out desperately for his paw. She barely brushed the tip of it but was unable to get a grip. Just then, she too felt the ground give way, and they were both falling uncontrollably to the unforgiving ground below.

Judy opened her eyes and coughed, trying to clear her lungs of the dust and dirt that had invaded them. She looked all around her but saw nothing but darkness. "Nick!" she cried out in desperation. "Nick, where are you?!" There was no response. Her heartbeat quickened as she ran her paw over the bare Earth; hoping beyond hope that she would feel the warmness of Nick's thick red fur. Alas, she felt nothing. She felt her eyes burn with tears as she feared the worst, when suddenly she felt a paw grab her from behind. She screamed and whirled around, ready for a fight, but before she could do anything she was blinded by a white light. She then felt a rush of joy and relief as she looked into Nick's beautiful green eyes. "Oh Nick!" she rushed to hug him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Hmm...seems that somebody missed me," he said with a sly smile. He returned the hug and put his paws on her shoulders. "You okay, Carrots?"

"I'm fine now," she said through tears, "but I really thought I had lost you."

Nick just grinned as he brought his face closer to hers. "It's gonna take a lot more than that to take care of Nicholas P. Wilde," he said in a soothing tone. "Now come on, let's see where we plopped down at, shall we?" He held out his paw and Judy graciously accepted it. She knew that the only thing that was going to lead them through the darkness was his excellent night vision.

Nick made sure to tread lightly and slowly; mainly because he knew that Judy would be unable to see as well as he could, but also because his paw was still extremely sore. He tried to hide his limping as much as possible, but every step was becoming more and more painful. He tried to ignore the pain by initiating conversation. "I wonder how far we fell?" he asked, squinting his eyes to sharpen his focus in the darkness.

"I don't know for sure, maybe 6...7 feet," Judy answered, holding onto Nick's paw as tightly as she could.

Nick scoffed. "Ha, is that all? That's nothing! Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I fell out of that giant oak tree in our backyard? That was a good 25 foot drop easy, and somehow I managed to only break my wrist. I really got lucky on that one! Thinking back on it now I definitely could have been more careful, but..." Just then, Nick's ears perked up as he heard a familiar sound. "Hey...Carrots...you hear that?"

Judy's ears shot straight up, and she immediately heard what Nick was talking about. "That sounds like a waterfall," she said in confusion. "Why in the world…?"

"SHH!" Nick said loudly, "I think it's coming from over there; follow me."

Judy found that statement kind of silly, considering the fact that she knew letting go of his paw was not an option, but she kept quiet and proceeded to follow her partner. The darkness was unrelenting, and Judy was beginning to feel as though she was blind. She ignored the sensation and continued holding onto Nick's paw. The sound of the waterfall continued to get louder, and Nick got more and more excited at the prospect of an escape. "It's really loud now!" he shouted excitedly.

It was then that Judy realized something: the sound of the waterfall was getting louder and louder even without them moving towards it. "Uh...Nick?" she said nervously.

Nick must have came to the same conclusion that Judy had, because a very concerned look crossed his face. "That... _isn't_ the sound of a waterfall...is it Carrots?"

"No Nick...it is not," she answered quickly. Just then, the roar of the water became deafening, and as the two turned around, they noticed a massive gush of water heading right towards them. Before they could react, the relentless gush of water scooped them up in its grip.

"Judy, hold on!" Nick cried out, holding out his paw for Judy to grab on to. It was not easy however, considering that his paw was soaking wet. Instead, Judy grabbed onto Nick's uniform and held on as tightly as she could. The last thing that either one of them wanted was to lose the other…

After what seemed like an eternity of being swept away by the massive current, it finally carried them to a large opening, which they went careening out of at breakneck speed. They fell for quite a while until they splashed down into a large body of water. Nick was the first to surface, and he immediately began coughing and sputtering, emptying his body of excess water. "JUDY!" he shouted in a panic, realizing that his partner was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, he saw something small and gray floating in the water…it was Judy.

"Oh my God, JUDY!" he swam over to her as quickly as he could and hoisted her onto his shoulders. He scrambled through the deep water (which had a very pungent odor to it) and finally reached shore; the "Shore" in this instance being concrete. He set Judy gently down on her back, and was absolutely terrified to find that she wasn't breathing. "Hang on Judy, please!" he pleaded. He immediately began mouth to mouth, which lasted for several seconds, until finally Judy coughed up a bit of water. "Oh Judy, thank goodness!" he said with genuine relief.

Judy coughed a bit more, then was finally able to speak. "What just happened?" she said in a puzzled voice. "Where are we?"

Nick looked around him and was able to at least determine that they were still close to the city, for he could see the reflection of the city lights on the skyline. It was then that he spotted something on the ground; covered in a bit of mud and grime. He picked it up cleaned it off with his paw, and was surprised to see that it was a name tag. The name was illegible, but what was printed above it wasn't…HEXCORP.

"Judy, look at this," Nick said, pawing her the name tag. Judy took it and examined it, a confused look on her face. "That's weird," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Nick...you don't think that we were…?"

Nick nodded solemnly. "Yeah Carrots, I think this whole thing was a setup. This place _is_ HEXCORP; or at least what's left of it. Someone wanted to lure us here, but why? What's so special about this place?"

"I have no idea Nick, but if we were being led into a trap, someone must be watching us right now," Judy answered. "I mean, look at what's been happening: first we're practically blown up by an explosion, then nearly drowned by a massive flood of water. Whoever it is, they know exactly when and where to pull the trigger on us."

Nick gulped nervously. "Oh boy, not good," he said. He shook a bit of water out of his fur and looked around. "So where are we now?"

"That water must have been from this area's sewer system," Judy replied, "which means that the water systems for this building are still active, which also means that HEXCORP must have been sabatoged very recently."

"Judy we have to get back to headquarters, and fast," Nick said urgently. "We have to find a way out of here."

"Hang on just a second, I want to check something," Judy said suddenly. Before Nick could react, the bunny was diving underwater.

"Judy wait!" Nick cried out, but she was long gone. Ignoring his better judgment, he dove in after her. He saw her swimming several meters ahead of her and quickened his pace, trying desperately to catch her. _Who knew bunnies could swim so fast?_ Nick thought to himself as he swam even faster. A few seconds later, he saw her stop and motion in front of her with her head. Nick immediately saw what she was looking at: a drain unit, covered by a metal grate. _Oh boy, I hope she isn't thinking about doing what I think she's going to do..._ he thought to himself. He shook away the worrisome thoughts and swam forward. The grate was extremely heavy and refused to budge with just Judy's strength, but between the two of them they managed to get the grate off.

Nick began to feel a little lightheaded, but knew that they were quite a ways from the surface of the water, so he proceeded to follow Judy through the large opening. Knowing full well that their oxygen level was extremely low, they quickened their pace. Finally, after what seemed like ages (but was really only a minute or two) they saw daylight. Nick felt elated, but that elation soon turned to fear as he felt the pants cuff of his uniform catch on something. He looked back and saw that it had snagged on a piece of jagged metal sticking out of the wall of the drain pipe. In a panic, he tried to get it loose, but the tough fabric refused to give way. He felt the last bit of air dissipate from his lungs, and he used the last bit of his strength in another attempt to pry himself loose; no luck. He felt himself losing consciousness fast, and before he knew it...darkness.


	7. Chapter 7: The Separation

Chapter 7: The Separation

Nick awoke to the sensation of his lungs expelling the large amount of water in them. When he was finally done coughing, he was gazing into Judy's beautiful purple eyes. "Oh Nick, thank God!" she said as she threw her arms around him.

Nick coughed one final time, then propped himself up on one arm. "What in the world happened?" he asked groggily.

"You almost drowned Nick," Judy answered. Nick could now see that Judy's eyes were red and bloodshot; she had been crying. "Your uniform caught on something underwater; you're lucky I looked back..."

"Hey, hey, it's okay Carrots," Nick said soothingly, stroking her cheek gently with his still soaking wet paw. "I'm okay, everything's fine."

Judy nodded and quickly wiped away a tear. "Well, the good news is that whatever sewer pipe we were just in led us close to the city," she said. Her tone was matter of fact, but Nick could tell she was still shaken up by what happened, and was trying her best to change the subject.

Nick stood up slowly. He was a bit lightheaded, but otherwise felt fine. Judy had saved his life yet again. "Okay, so what now?" he asked, shaking out his fur a bit. "Do we head back to the station?"

Judy nodded. "I don't know what went on back there, but whatever it was, it was aimed to lead us directly into a trap; why I really don't know."

Nick rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So HEXCORP doesn't really exist; at least not anymore," he said, looking back in the direction that they had just come from. "It was all just a ruse to lead us into a trap. That gearshift knob we found in that car though...it had to be designed by _someone._ That kind of tech doesn't come around all that often."

"Maybe that gearshift knob was the last thing HEXCORP designed...before someone decided they didn't _need_ HEXCORP anymore..."

Nick's eyes widened. "So you're saying that someone destroyed the evidence on purpose before it could be traced back."

Judy nodded. "None of this makes any sense at all, but if I had to guess, I would say that that's exactly what happened. Come on, we need to get back to the station."

"Agreed," Nick said with a grin. "Come on partner." The two officers started making their way back to ZPD Headquarters. Something seemed a bit off, however, with the other animals they met. Everyone that saw them gave them very strange looks; some of them angry, some of them concerned, some of them downright fearful. As they got closer and closer to the heart of the city, the looks only became more and more persistent. In fact, as Nick passed a mother raccoon and her young offspring, the young raccoon actually hissed and spit at him.

"Hey, watch it!" Nick said angrily, glaring at the young raccoon.

The mother raccoon was having none of it. "You don't even _think_ about talking that way to my little boy!" she shouted.

"Uhhh, ex _cuse_ me?" Nick retorted, putting his paws on his hips. "Your 'Precious little boy' just spit at me!"

"Just leave us alone, you disgusting predator!" the mother raccoon said in a rage as she scooped up her offspring and dashed off.

"What in the world was that all about?" Nick asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust and disbelief. Judy didn't answer right away. Instead, her eyes were fixated on a television screen inside of a department store window. Realizing what she was looking at, Nick also began to watch the screen. There was the newly elected Mayor Tigerpaw, delivering some kind of public address:

 _Citizens of Zootopia: My name is Solomon Tigerpaw, and I was recently the victim of a terrible crime...I was kidnapped. Now, some of you may automatically assume that the perpetrator was of the predatory variety, but you would be incorrect. The mammal who captured me was a prey animal, whose name will not be revealed at this time. However, in light of these recent events, I have come to realize even more that predator and prey...can never, ever truly live in peace and harmony. No matter how hard we try, there will always be that tension...that fear...that unease. That, dear citizens of Zootopia, is exactly why this prey animal did what they did...out of fear. Their way of thinking was simple: I am a predator, therefore, I am dangerous. This way of thinking has existed for far too long. So...effective immediately...I am hereby ordering a segregation of predator and prey animals._

"WHAT?" Nick and Judy cried out in disbelief together as they heard Mayor Tigerpaw's words. He was actually serious about complete separation of predator and prey; hindering their interaction. It was an absolute travesty. It was the most ridiculous thing that they had ever heard. Unfortunately, the bad news didn't stop there.

 _"I realize that this will shake things up a bit; creating some less than favorable scenarios, but I truly believe that this is the best way to make sure that the relationship between predator and prey will not be further frayed. This heinous crime that was committed against me was because the fear and distaste of predators that prey animals possess will never truly dissolve. That is...unless actions like this are taken. From this day forth, predator and prey animals will have very limited interactions. Those who work in facilities with other animals opposite their kind will be reassigned or relocated. If any predator animal is caught conversing with prey, or vice versa, disciplinary actions will be taken. I will do my very best to ensure that those who must be relocated or redirected within their respective companies get the attention they deserve. Please understand...I am taking this action because I do not wish for acts of violence or hate to become a further issue. Thank you all...for your time."_

With those words, Mayor Tigerpaw exited the podium amidst an entire slew of news anchors and reporters, desperate to get any further information. It was not to be, however, as Tigerpaw quickly entered a large SUV and was soon out of sight.

'Oh my gosh, Nick, this is a nightmare," Judy said silently. "I mean, forcing separation between predator and prey; it's going to cause everything to be thrown off kilter. Animals will be forced to quit their jobs or even relocate...and us..."

"They won't let us be partners anymore," Nick said, his voice monotone with grave concern. "Judy this isn't good...Tigerpaw is being affected like fear; molded by it...just like Bellwether was."

"We have to get back to the ZPD, now," Judy said urgently. She started to walk in that direction, when all of a sudden, a ZPD cruiser pulled up beside them. The door opened, and out stepped Chief Bogo. The look on his face was still the usual gruff, unassuming expression, but there was an ere of sadness and disappointment in it as well.

He walked up to Nick and Judy, took off his glasses, and let out an exasperated, tired sigh. "Wilde, Hopps, come with me," he said firmly.

Once inside Bogo's office, both Nick and Judy were more nervous than they had ever been. Neither one of them had any idea what was about to happen. Bogo closed the door, sat down, and hung his head for a moment. Then, he spoke: "I assume by now you've heard the news," he said, his eyes focusing particularly on Nick. "Mayor Tigerpaw has issued his decree, and I am afraid I am powerless to stop it. Effective immediately, Nick, you will be transferred to an all predator precinct in Tundratown."

"What?" Nick shouted in surprise. "But...but I can't I mean...Judy..."

"Your partnership with Judy is impossible right now," Bogo responded, rubbing his eyes in fatigue and frustration. "You and the other predators in this precinct will be all be transferred. Just please keep in mind that this is not because of anything you've done wrong...apparently it's the law." He said the last sentence with disgust in his voice.

Nick knew that there was no use in arguing. It was the Mayor's call, and he was obviously standing by it. "Fine..." he said, slowly rising out of his chair. "Sir, can I at least have some time to say goodbye to Judy?"

Bogo sighed, but nodded his approval. Nick looked over at Judy sadly, not really knowing where to begin. "Judy, I just want to say...thank you for believing in me; for giving me this chance. I don't know how or when, but things are going to go back to the way they were...I promise. I'll always be grateful for our partnership and our friendship." He gave her a long hug and savored it, not knowing when he would be able to hug her again.

Judy was speechless. Everything was happening so fast. How could Mayor Tigerpaw do this? How could he blatantly separate predator and prey so hastily...out of fear? Out of anger? Out of _spite?_ What exactly happened during his kidnapping that caused him to think this way? She didn't have the answers, and now she would have to find them without her partner and best friend.

"Nick, I'll miss you," she said softly, returning the hug. "No matter where life leads us, you'll always be my partner and my friend." She struggled not to cry, but she felt the hot streaming tears begin to fall down her face.

Nick quickly reached up and wiped them away. "Don't cry Judy," he said soothingly. "I'm not gone forever. We'll fix this somehow, I promise." He hugged her tight one last time, turned to the door, put his paw on the doorknob, then looked back and said, "Goodbye, Judy." With that, he walked through the door and left Judy alone with Bogo. She sniffed a bit, wiped another tear from her eye, then puffed out her chest in an attempt to act tough.

Bogo seemed unaffected by Judy's emotions. "Now, in the case of your new partner, I have chosen someone who I believe will gel with you nicely. You'll meet him tomorrow. For now, you'll be on duty with Francine." Bogo rose from his seat, adjusting his uniform as he did so. "Judy, you're a fine officer," he said with as much kindness as he could muster. "I believe in you, with or without Nick." With that, he waved his hoof in front of him to dismiss Judy, and she swiftly obeyed. In the back of her mind, she was devastated, but she also knew that somehow, someway, life had to go on. Duty called.


	8. Chapter 8: On a Leash

Chapter 8: On a Leash

Finnick stared out the window of the large limousine he was riding in. Under normal circumstances he would have been thrilled to be the passenger in such an elaborate vehicle (especially considering what he was driving now), but all he felt at that moment was anger, confusion, and betrayal.

"Cheer up little guy," came the booming, intimidating voice of Mayor Tigerpaw. "All will work out soon, trust me."

Finnick cringed at the words "Little guy." It was something he was accustomed to hearing over the years, but there was something about hearing it from this slime ball that made his ears lower in anger. "You'd better make good on our deal man...I ain't doin' this for free."

Tigerpaw just grinned and crossed his large paws. "Oh I always make good on my deals," he said in a not so reassuring tone. "Now that Zootopia has been liberated, everything will be as it should be: predators in complete control, with prey kneeling at their paws."

"All this for power?!" Finnick bellowed angrily.

Tigerpaw shrugged, then poured himself a glass of wine. "No, not just for power...for balance. Prey animals, since the beginning of time, have been the weak ones. For years, the world was just fine with predators holding the reigns. But..." he pulled a cigar out of his pocket and lit it. After taking a long drag on it, he blew the smoke in Finnick's face. He waved it off and continued to listen to Tigerpaw. "My father, Elias, once owned and operated one of the most successful businesses in all of Zootopia: Tigerpaw Electronics Inc. He was rich, he was respected...he was...happy." He took another drag off of the cigar and continued. "Before he knew it, a young raccoon by the name of Skip was admitted into the company. My father was unhappy about it, but...he let it go. After all, it was only one animal. But, as time went on, Skip began to slowly but surely take control of Tigerpaw Electronics. He was underhandedly embezzling money right out from under my father's nose, and he could never prove it was Skip."

Finnick pretended to not be interested in what Tigerpaw was saying, but in reality he was completely engrossed in the story. Tigerpaw continued. "Eventually, my father found the evidence he needed; the smoking gun. Skip had failed to cover his tracks on a particular transaction, and my father was set to nail him." His eyes began to get distant, and he took a deep breath. "However, before my father could prove Skip's crime...he turned the tables on him. He took care of every little detail, and made it look as though my father was the guilty one." Tigerpaw now looked as though he was brimming over with anger. "My father is now in jail, unable to do the things he wants, or have the freedom to even give his son a simple hug. All….because….of one...little….PREY ANIMAL!" He slammed his paw hard against the door, actually making Finnick jump a little bit. "Prey animals are sneaky, vindictive, rotten little creatures! They always have been! And believe me, it won't stop with Skip; more and more prey animals will believe they have the power to overtake us all! But not...on...my watch..."

Finnick found no sympathy for Tigerpaw's story. In fact, it only elevated his anger level. "THAT'S what this is about?!" he yelled angrily. "Man you gotta let it go! And as far as gettin' _me_ involved in all of this? You're outta your mind if you think I'm gonna continue doin' dirty work for..."

Suddenly Tigerpaw slammed Finnick's head against the limousine window. He was shocked it didn't shatter. "Then...he….dies," he said with an angry sneer. "Face it you little furry rat...I have you on a leash, and you're going to do exactly what I say; you have no other choice."

Finnick snarled and growled, baring his teeth, but then quickly stopped. Tigerpaw was right; he had him under his claw, and if he bailed out now, then it was the worst case scenario. With his face against the cold glass of the window, he said, "Fine..."

Tigerpaw released his head and grinned. "Very wise choice, fox," he said. He took one last drag off of his cigar and then, to Finnick's shock, he stuck the lit end on his arm. Finnick groaned in pain and agony, but remained as steadfast as possible. The smell of his own burnt fur floated up to his nostrils, and he could feel the burn already starting to swell up. Tigerpaw just smiled and said, "You make a fine ashtray." With that, he and a seething Finnick continued their journey.

Nick felt out of place even before he entered the building. Before him loomed the rather small (at least compared to ZPD's size) building that represented Tundratown's Police Department. He took a deep breath and opened the door. The internal structure of the building was nothing like Zootopia's. The front desk was positioned to his left, almost as soon as he entered the building. Sitting at the desk was an elderly grizzly bear, who looked none too pleased to be there.

Nick walked up to the small window and cleared his throat. "Um...excuse me? Officer Nicholas P. Wilde, transferring from the ZPD."

The grizzly bear slowly turned around to face Nick, then got up from his chair and approached him. He was very chubby, even for a mammal his size, and his large belly made it difficult for him to move around in the small office without knocking things over.

"Ah yes, the fox," the grizzly bear said with very little enthusiasm. "They're expecting you in the briefing room...second door down the hall to the left."

The bear said nothing more; he just went back to typing on his computer screen. "Ooookay," Nick said as he made his way to the conference room. He arrived at the door and opened it, and was greeted by silence. Endless pairs of eyes stared him down as he made his way to the first available seat he could find...right next to a very unpleasant smelling polar bear. _Is his fur SUPPOSED to be that color…?_ Nick wondered to himself.

He arrived at the door where the grizzly bear had pointed him and slowly opened it. He found the room to be filled with eager looking predator officers, each with very fancy and official looking uniforms. A deep, booming voice greeted him: "Ah, you must be Nicholas Wilde." The source of the voice belonged to a very tall lion. "My name is Hoss, Oliver Hoss; or _Chief_ Oliver Hoss in your case." He chortled. His mane was cut into a mohawk, and he was wearing a uniform that could barely contain his bulging muscles. "Have a seat next to Officers Dudridge and Horowitz."

Nick looked around and noticed a pair of huge cougars snickering at him. _Yep, I'm guessing that's them,_ he thought with a roll of his eyes. He made his way to the desk and slumped in between the two hulking animals, who were none too pleased to be host to a fox at their table. They glared down at him for a couple of moments, then diverted their attention back to Chief Hoss.

"Okay, let's get right down to it," he said as he opened a case file that was on his podium. "We've been tracking down this animal for quite some time as you all know." He took a piece of paper out of the file and tacked it onto the bulletin board behind him. Nick's eyes went wide as he saw the photo. On it was the face of a Fennec fox. It looked remarkably like Finnick, only there were a few noticable differences. This fox's ears were slightly shorter than Finnick's, and his snout was a just a bit shorter. His face wasn't a sneer, but rather a sly half-smile. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and black shorts, and his paws were considerably large considering the species of mammal he was. Hoss continued: "This is the suspect who reportedly kidnapped Mayor Tigerpaw," he said solemnly as a look of concern crossed his face. "He was arrested and incarcerated a few days ago, but he has reportedly escaped custody and is on the run."

Nick continued to study the animal on the photo. _That definitely looks like Finn,_ he thought to himself. His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Chief Hoss. "Wilde, you'll be one in charge of this mission, seeing as you're familiar with the fox species."

Nick was surprised to hear this, but quickly recovered and nodded in acknowledgment. "You'll also be assigned a new partner for this mission. You'll meet up with her later today. As for the rest of you, you'll be on patrol until further notice. Remember, this mammal is thought to be armed and dangerous, so be on your guard. Dismissed!"

Hoss's dismissal order was met with the scraping of chairs and the thudding of paws as the officers headed out the door and onto their respective duties. Nick was about to follow when he was suddenly stopped by a paw on his shoulder. "Mr. Wilde, please come here."

Nick actually let out a small gulp as he made his way to Hoss's desk. The lion looked right into Nick's soul as he spoke, his nostrils flaring, as if sizing him up. "I'm going to be bluntly honest with you Nicholas: you may have been successful in the Nighthowler case last year, but as far as I am concerned, you are still a rookie. And..." he took a deep breath as he continued, "I still don't quite trust your judgement. Therefore, I felt it necessary to assign you a partner. She should be here any moment."

Just then, right on cue, there was a knock on the door. "Yes Loxey, come in!" Hoss bellowed, causing Nick to wince just a bit from the ferocity of his voice. Moments later, the door opened, revealing the most beautiful vixen Nick had ever laid eyes on. She was wearing a black skirt suit with blue high heels and matching blue earrings. Her eyes were also blue; a piercing blue that seemed to penetrate Nick's very soul. "Nick, meet Loxey Frost...your new partner."

Nick was speechless for a moment or two, but recovered as quickly as he could. "H-hi," Nick stuttered. "My name is...Wilde, Nick Wilde." He extended his paw for a greeting, and Loxey graciously accepted.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Wilde," she said with a smile. Her voice was soft and sweet, and it made Nick melt when he heard it. Truth be told, vixens were a rare species in Zootopia. This was the first vixen he had ever seen, and it was certainly worth the wait. She was gorgeous!

"Now, Nick, Loxey," Hoss began, clearing his throat before he continued. "The animal we're looking for is small, dangerous and, worst of all, elusive. However, since you are both foxes and are no doubt familiar with how they move and operate, I came to the conclusion that you two would make perfect partners to crack this case wide open. I am _certain_ that you won't disappoint me...right?" Hoss raised an eyebrow as he spoke the last word.

"No sir, not at all," Loxey replied quickly. "I'm sure Mr. Wilde and I will have this case solved before you know it." She smiled sweetly at Hoss, and it was safe to say that he did not return the nicety.

"Good," he said sternly. "Now, why don't you two go discuss the case together while I go nurse this headache." With that, Hoss got up from his chair and exited the room, leaving Nick and Loxey alone.

"Well Loxey, I guess we should get started," Nick said, flashing her his best smile. To his surprise, she responded with a frown. Nick looked puzzled as he said, "Or….we could always wait until tomorrow…?"

Loxey walked up to Nick and came snout to snout with him. "Look Nicholas, I know who you are and what you're about," she said fiercely. "I know all about your past: the hustles, the trickery, the embezzlement of funds, your tax evasion…all of it. The _only_ reason I'm in this? Chief Hoss ordered me to; that's it. So if I were you, I would be very, very careful about how you act around me. Do I myself clear, Wilde?"

"Yeah...very," Nick answered solemnly. He was so taken aback by Loxey's attitude that he wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Good," she said, backing away from a surprised (and admittedly disappointed) Nick. He sighed, and soon as she was out of earshot said, "Well this is going to be a load of laughs."


	9. Chapter 9: A Fine Line

Chapter 9: A Fine Line

On the opposite side of the city, Judy took a deep breath as she stood just outside of the ZPD's main entrance. She was still in utter shock and disbelief that she wasn't going to see Nick, standing by the water cooler with a cup of coffee, smiling his wide smile at her as she entered. She closed her eyes momentarily, attempting to gather herself, and then finally entered.

Now that there were no more predators working at the ZPD, the roster was much thinner than usual. Not only was Nick gone, but Benjamin Clawhauser was also no longer there. Instead, he had been replaced by a much smaller armadillo named Nadene. She smiled at Judy as she entered. "Hello Judy," she said cheerfully, leaning forward on her paws. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Oh I'm doing fine, thank you Nadene," she answered, although she certainly didn't feel fine. She proceeded to Bogo's office, growing more and more nervous as she did. Who was her new partner going to be? Would she be able to work with them and be able to function as a single unit? Would he/she even like her? All of these questions buzzed around in her mind as she opened the door to his office.

She noticed Bogo right away; seated at his desk and going over his usual morning paperwork. He glanced up and saw Judy, then motioned for her to sit down. "Miss Hopps, welcome," he said with very little emotion. "Your partner should be here anytime. I've been going over his file and...well...it's impressive. Except one thing is a little bit off."

"And...that would be?" Judy implored, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Bogo adjusted his glasses and looked down at her. "It says here that he was put on temporary leave from Savannah Central Police Department for an extended period of time several months ago, but no reason is given."

"Maybe it was...personal?" Judy said, shrugging slowly. There were all kinds of reasons that her future partner could have taken a leave; the primary reasons being sickness or a death in the family. However, a lighter reason would have been vacation, although that certainly wouldn't show up on a resume or an officer's personal file.

Bogo sighed. "It's probably nothing, Hopps." He stood up and straightened up the papers on his desk. "He should be here shortly; I told him to meet you in my office. It's a safe place where you two can get to know each other. You'll be presented with your new case file tomorrow." With that he nodded, then left the room.

Judy sat in the same spot for several more minutes, until she heard the door open slowly. She turned around to see who had entered, but because of the intense sunlight all she saw was a silhouette. The figure of a medium sized mammal, only slightly larger than her by the initial looks of it, slowly walked towards her. Finally, the figure came into view, and she saw that the figure belonged to a very handsome, muscular otter. "Miss...Hopps?"

Judy didn't answer right away. She was too preoccupied with the fact that this particular otter looked very familiar to her. "Y-yes, yes, Officer Judy Hopps," she finally blurted out. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr…."

The otter smiled and extended his slightly webbed paw. "My name is Kyle….Kyle Otterton."

Judy wasn't sure she had quite heard the otter correctly. "Otterton...wait a minute, you don't mean..."

Kyle nodded. "Yep, _that_ Otterton."

Judy was stunned. She knew that Mr. and Mrs. Otterton had one offspring for sure, but she never knew that this very handsome otter in front of her was one of them. He had the build of his father, but his face more closely resembled that of his mother's. He had an earring in one ear, and she noticed a tribal tattoo on his left arm. His eyes were a piercing blue, that seemed to be sizing Judy up yet also staring straight into her soul. She finally collected herself and extended her own paw. "Well, Mr. Otterton, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure we're going to work very well together."

Kyle nodded with a smile. "I guarantee it," he said as he gave Judy's paw one final shake. He took a seat at a nearby table and sighed. "You know, I actually wasn't nervous about meeting you until I actually saw your face. Now...well..." he took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Nervous?" Judy asked incredulously. "Why would you be nervous?" She took a seat next to Kyle and put her arm on his. Even as she did this, she could feel the young otter tense up.

"Judy, you and Nick saved my family," he said softly, hanging his head as he spoke. "When my dad was infected I...was finishing up my training at a station in Savannah Central. I was about halfway through when I got the call. It was the first time I had heard from my mother in months..."

Judy's eyes widened a bit with surprise and sympathy. "Oh Kyle, that must have been so hard," she said sadly.

Kyle nodded. "I was miles away, and if I left my training at that time...well...they're pretty strict at the Savannah Central precinct; you leave in the middle of your training and they cast you aside like yesterday's garbage. But darn it I wanted to be a cop. Ever since I was old enough to walk, I've wanted it so badly." He chuckled a bit before continuing. "My dad actually used to play 'Cops and robbers' with me."

"Aw, how adorable," Judy said with a smile. "But...I'm guessing your parents were less than thrilled with your desire to become a cop right?"

Kyle let a half-smile spread across his face. "Heh...yeah, exactly. They always made sure to make me aware of _all_ the dangers...all the things that could possibly happen to me, big or small. I always told them they worried too much, but that just seemed to make them protest harder."

Judy could certainly relate with Kyle's story. She remembered how much her own parents tried to dissuade her from being a police officer; even though it had been her dream ever since she was old enough to walk/hop. "Well Kyle, I'm sure you're going to make your parents very proud," she said with a sincere smile.

The otter just looked at her with that same half-smile. "I hope you're right Judy. It seems like all I've ever done since I was little was disappoint them."

Judy was slightly taken aback. "Really? How?" she asked, her nose twitching slightly in curiosity.

"Well for starters," Kyle said, propping his hind paws up on the table and putting his arms behind him, "they wanted me to pursue the retail business. Yeah...no thanks. Then, they wanted me to be a tool salesmammal. That...really didn't interest me either. Then, after those two things fell through, they wanted me to be a teacher. As much as I like kids, that didn't appeal to me either. Then, when I finally, _fiinally_ , found something I wanted to do, they thought it was too dangerous, and they practically begged me to just stay home and pursue something else. But you know what? I didn't want to. I wanted to be a police officer...the first otter to join the force. So...I went against their wishes and left home as soon as I was old enough to train. They were in tears when I left, begging me to stay. But...I didn't listen. I just...left. Then a few weeks later, I got the call."

Judy's ears perked up a bit. "The call? What call was that?" she asked. She didn't mean to pry into her new partner's life, but she was merely curious about him.

He brushed a bit of stray fur out of his eye before he continued. "My mom called me one night, frantic. She said my dad had been infected with something, and that he had turned into some kind of savage monster. I didn't want to believe it, but then...I saw the footage." His voice cracked a bit with emotion, and he looked away.

"Oh Kyle, I am so sorry," she said soothingly. "I can't imagine what that must have been like for you."

Kyle took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Judy, it was the worst day of my life. I adored my father; he taught me everything I know about life. He is the kindest, sweetest animal you'll ever meet. But that...psychotic sheep..." there was a moment where his eyes showed a bit of fiery anger and rage. "Bellwether tried to tear our family apart Judy, and she almost succeeded. I don't think I can ever forgive her for that."

Although Judy now, at least in some ways, understood the reasons behind Bellwether's motives for the savage serum attack, she used a sneaky and underhanded way to go about it. She believed that it was time for prey animals to take control and have the power, and she was willing to use any methods necessary to achieve it. In fact, Nick himself had almost fallen victim to her attack as well. Luckily he used his sly, cunning mind to outsmart her, which in the end earned him a coveted spot on the ZPD.

"Look Kyle, I kind of understand where you're coming from," Judy said, looking at the otter with her beautiful purple eyes. "I spent quite a while being angry at Bellwether for what she did, and so did a lot of other animals in the city. But she's behind bars now, and it's where she belongs. The key now..." she pushed the case file folder forward a bit so that it was between them, "is to look forward."

Kyle looked at the case file, then back at Judy. Then, after a few more moments, he let a smile spread across his face. "You're right Judy; you're absolutely right."

Judy returned the smile, then opened up the case file. Right away, her face transformed from that of happiness to that of confusion. As soon as she opened the file, she saw the face of a mammal; one that was clearly a Fennec fox. Although the ears were slightly smaller than she expected, the shape of the nose, the whiskers, and the fur color confirmed that it was indeed a Fennec fox.

"Huh...look at that," Kyle said, leaning in to get a better look at the animal. Then, he began to read the case file details out loud:

 _This animal, name unknown, has escaped solitary confinement and is now running loose somewhere in the city. He had been detained for the heinous act of kidnapping Mayor Solomon Tigerpaw,_ _and his capture is of the utmost importance._ _Your mission is to stage a stakeout_ _at the specified location_ _in an attempt to track down and interrogate a possible accomplice._

"Well, sounds interesting," Judy said, closing the case file folder and smiling at her new partner. She was excited at the prospect of working with Kyle, especially now that she knew more about him and his past. "So tell me Kyle, have you ever done a stakeout before?"

"Actually no, this will be my first go at it," he answered, sounding more excited than nervous; always a good sign.

"Now that's what we like to hear," Judy said happily, giving Kyle a playful little punch on the arm. Judy was surprised at just how solidly built this otter was.

"So," Kyle began, "it says here that our stakeout will begin at midnight tonight, so I suggest we go home and grab as much sleep as possible before then...sound good?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she answered, realizing at that moment just how tired she was. "Let's meet up outside the coordinates at a quarter to midnight...deal?" She extended her paw to Kyle, which he shook graciously. "Deal," he said firmly. "I look forward to working with you Miss Hopps."

Judy and Kyle were both oblivious to the journey that they were about to embark on; one that would test their limits and expose the dangers that Zootopia was truly hiding. Dark times and a unique secret was about to be discovered.


	10. Chapter 10: The Weak Link

Chapter 10: The Weak Link

For the first time since becoming an officer, Nick found himself to be absolutely miserable. He put on his usual tan slacks and Hawaiian style shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed that his usual red fur had actually turned just a shade lighter, most likely a side effect of the climate change. He sighed and poured himself a bowl of cereal, realizing after he took the first bite that he wasn't all that hungry. He took another bite and had just started to chew when he heard his phone buzz. He picked it up and saw that it was Loxey. The message read, _Meet me at the cornerstone cafe as soon as you can...Loxey._

"Wonderful," Nick grumbled to himself as he hastily finished off his cereal. He was in no real hurry to be berated and belittled by his new partner, but he knew he had no choice. He quickly downed a glass of milk and headed out the door and into the crisp, cool air. His paws were immediately bombarded by the sensation of ice and snow settling in between his toes, and he shivered as he felt a cold wind assault his fur. Normally, foxes were adapted to survive in both cold and hot weather conditions, but seeing as he had hardly ever set paw in cold climates up until recently, his body still wasn't quite ready for it.

He had rented a small apartment in a run down complex just outside of the city for the time being; at least until he could afford to buy an actual home of his own (which was certainly going to take awhile). One good thing about it was the way it was constructed: everything was pretty much a short walk away, including the Cornerstone Cafe. After a few minutes of walking, he reached his destination. Almost immediately, he spotted Loxey, sitting just inside the cafe and sipping on a hot drink.

He opened the door, took a deep breath, and put on a fake smile as he said, "Hi Loxey, how are we doing this morning?"

Loxey smiled at him as she said, "Hi Nick! Please sit down, I need to discuss something with you"

Nick gave the vixen a puzzled look, a bit surprised that she wasn't criticizing or ridiculing him. "Uh...sure, okay," he said quietly as he took as seat. He looked around at the quaint yet fancy cafe, marveling at just how cozy and homey it was. He shook a bit of water from his fur (a result of the snow outside) and said, "What's up Loxey?"

She looked a bit sheepish as she said, "Nick, I...wanted to apologize for yesterday. We got off on the wrong paw, and it was totally my fault." She flipped a bit of snow white fur from her eyes and smiled sweetly. She was hardly dressed for a climate of this magnitude. All she had on was a blue tank top and black sweats, with the lack of length in the top showing a bit of her toned belly.

Nick looked perplexed. "It's...okay Loxey," he said, haphazardly pawing at a coffee creamer container to his left. "Believe me when I say that this line of work involves a lot of stress. Don't worry, I forgive you."

Loxey looked relieved. "Good!" she said happily as she leaned forward. "Now, about our mission tonight." She looked all around her as if she had a feeling someone might be eavesdropping, which was unlikely considering that it was just them and the waitress currently in the cafe. "If we're going to go undercover, we have got to make it look convincing. I was thinking that we could go as an elderly married couple who's already drunk. It would make us look like bar hoppers, and it wouldn't be the least bit suspicious."

Nick thought for a moment. This was actually a good plan, and one that he could easily pull off, considering that he and Finnick once did the exact same thing to unknowingly hustle a bunch of cheetahs out of a game of pool. "Yeah...yeah that could work," Nick said with a smile. "I'm sure I could find some nasty, tattered old clothes lying around somewhere for effect. OH! And what if I make it look like I haven't showered in a couple of days? That would be even better!"

"Now you're getting it!" Loxey said , giving him a sly wink. "I have something in mind too: I could dress like a skimpy stripper or something. It'll be perfect!"

Nick was just a little taken aback by the prospect of this beautiful vixen sitting in front of him dressing like a stripper, but he didn't make a fuss about it. "Great!" he said after a few moments of awkward silence. "So the plan is we meet at this bar at midnight, correct?"

Loxey nodded, then took another sip of her drink, which Nick's powerful sense of smell had deduced as hot chocolate a few minutes prior. "Yes, that's the plan. Look Nick, I know I said some horrible things about you and your past, but the truth is, I admire the steps you took to get where you are. Not many animals can pull off a complete 180 like you did. It's kinda...impressive." Even in the dim lighting, Nick could tell that she was blushing. Truth be told, he was struggling not to do the same.

He smiled and said, "Well thank you Loxey, that means a lot. I owe a lot of it to my former partner Judy though. She really changed me...a lot." His eyes suddenly filled with sadness at the mention of her, and Loxey could tell.

Loxey reached across the table and put her paw on his. "I know it's hard for you Nick...it's been hard for all of us. But if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you're a strong mammal. Judy wouldn't want you to be sad or upset; she would want you to do the best work possible on this case...to work hard and make her pruud."

Nick realized that she was right. Judy must be feeling the same way he was, but he knew for a fact that she wasn't going to let it interfere with her duties. Quite the contrary in fact; she was probably letting it drive her even more than usual. He let a smile cross his face. "You know something? You're right Loxey; Judy would want me to focus on what's really important: catching this scum of the streets animal...and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Loxey waved a paw in a mock scolding manner as she said, "Uh uh uh Nick...It's what _we're_ going to do." She presented her paw to him, which Nick accepted and shook gently. Loxey smiled, her gold earrings and bracelets jangling as they shook paws. "Now, let's go get 'em partner," she said happily.

Nick had a strange mix of emotions flow through him at that moment. He was just a bit suspicious of the sudden change in Loxey's attitude, seeing as she was not very fond of him just mere hours ago. Furthermore, he had noticed that she was wearing a very generous amount of perfume. Normally, this wouldn't have raised any red flags, except that he swore he detected another scent underneath all of that perfume; a scent that just barely tickled the very recesses of his strong sense of smell enough to be detected: cigarette smoke. This meant that, most likely, she was trying her best to cover up the scent. But why? Sure, it was a bad habit, but why go through so much effort to cover it up? "Nick? Nick are you okay?"

Her sweet voice jarred him from his thoughts. "Oh yeah, yeah I'm fine," Nick said hastily. "I was just trying to remember if I turned the stove off at the apartment, that's all. No worries though, I'm pretty sure I did…heh heh..." he chuckled nervously, afraid that he might have tipped Loxey off, but she just grinned and said, "So, you're the forgetful kind huh?"

Nick was beginning to let his nerves get the better of him, so he decided that now would be a good time to order himself a coffee as well. "Excuse me, waitress?" he said, raising his paw and flagging down a very unenthusiastic looking polar bear. "Could I get a coffee...black, with uh...extra caffeine?"

The polar bear slowly jotted down the order and said, "Sure thing, coming right up." Once the waitress left, Nick flashed an awkward smile to Loxey. "So...Loxey...how long have you lived in Tundratown?"

She took a sip of her drink before answering. "Well, I was actually born and raised here, but I moved to the city of Zootopia for awhile before..." she looked down at the floor before saying, "My parents died." but...when my parents died."

Nick's eyes went taut with sympathy. "Oh Loxey, I'm so sorry," he said softly. His first instinct was to reach out and hold her paw, but he resisted.

"Thanks," she said without much emotion. "The truth is, when my parents died, I just decided that I wanted to continuing living where they raised me, you know? I just felt it was a fitting homage to them; to let them know that I'll never forget how much they loved me...and how much I loved them."

Nick let a warm smile cross his face. "Loxey, I think that's very admirable. I'm sure they're very proud of who you've become."

Loxey didn't look too sure about his statement. She rubbed her arm uncomfortably as she muttered, "Yeah, sure they are." She then looked at her watch (in a manner that was almost certainly meant to change the subject) and said, "Oh wow, we'd better get this show on the road Nick! Meet me behind the specified coordinates at 8 P.M. okay? And don't forget, act inebriated!" She grinned as she exited the cafe, and Nick was left alone with his coffee. "Yeah…I won't forget," he said to himself as he let out a sigh.

Nick wasn't quite sure what to think of himself as he checked out his appearance in the mirror. He had purposely disheveled his fur to make it look as if he had been out drinking all night, and had ripped holes in the knees of an old pair of jeans to add even more authenticity to the look. Heck, he had even foregone sleep so that his eyes would look red. _After all of this effort this mission had darn well better be a success,_ he thought to himself as he headed out the door to meet Loxey.

The night air was just as cold as ever, and Nick could feel that the snow which had fallen earlier had now turned into a light sheet of ice. He used the claws on his hind paws to gain extra traction as he trudged onward. He had a very uneasy feeling in his gut, and as much as he tried to ignore it, it continued to gnaw at him, giving his nerves a thorough beating.

Just then, a firm paw closed around his arm and dragged him behind a wall. "YAI!" Nick cried out as his paws actually left the ground. It was a matter of mere moments later that his nostrils caught the scent of Loxey's perfume.

"Sh, quiet you idiot!" She said calmly yet firmly. Nick saw that she was wearing a sparkling, red halter top with a white fur jacket, which perfectly accentuated her short, black leggings. "You're late..." she grumbled, letting Nick go and flipping her snow white fur out of her eyes.

"Nice to see you too," Nick grumbled as he straightened out his shirt. Obviously, Loxey's good mood from earlier in the day had completely disappeared.

"The bar is this way, follow me," Loxey said flatly as she motioned for Nick to follow. Nick obeyed and followed Loxey into the bar, which was already full of rowdy, intoxicated animals. The bartender looked just a bit concerned as he cleaned a few glasses with a rag and put them back on the rack. Judging by his facial features, he had been doing this since a very early hour. Nick and Loxey took a seat at the main table of the bar, both of them nonchalantly looking around and taking in their surroundings.

"Can I get ya anything?" A large rhino came out from behind a red curtain and leaned his elbows on the table.

"Anything with the letters W-I-N-E in it my good man," Nick said, not slurring his words in the typical intoxicated mammal fashion but making sure to keep that smile plastered on his face.

"You got it fox," the rhino said, nodding his head and heading back towards the wine rack positioned on the far left side of the serving station. As the bartender was getting the drink, Nick looked around the bar at the various animals in attendance. No one looked particularly out of place or suspicious, and he was beginning to feel like maybe this undercover mission was a mistake. That is, until he saw a smarmy looking skunk sitting at a table in the corner. The first thing that made it look suspicious was the way that the animal was dressed: a dark blue suit with a white undershirt and a bright red tie. The second thing that raised Nick's concerns was that this particular mammal had no drink, and he had a concerned look on his face as he talked into his cell phone. Nick had learned in his training that these were all telltale signs of someone whose nerves were going haywire, and therefore was a prime suspect in something that required their attention.

He lightly nudged Loxey's arm just as the bartender placed their drinks in front of them. "Loxey...that skunk over there...on his cell phone," Nick motioned with his head, and Loxey followed. The animal hadn't noticed them yet, and Loxey was doing a masterful job at looking inconspicuous.

"That _is_ suspicious," she concurred, turning her attention back to Nick. "He's not dressed at all for a quiet evening at the bar, and skunks aren't even close to being indigenous to this area."

"We need to pump him for info," Nick said, cradling his chin in his paw as he thought. Then, a smile spread across his face as he said, "I think I may have an idea...follow my lead."

Loxey looked as though she wasn't quite on board, but she followed Nick anyway. They both made their way (acting as slightly intoxicated as they could) and took a seat at the table next to the skunk. As far as skunks went, Nick had admittedly known very few of them throughout his lifetime. However, from what he had heard, they were skittish mammals who usually had no time for nonsense. Of course, Nick being Nick, he had come up with a plan.

"Here, order this," Nick said, sliding the menu of drinks under Loxey's nose and pointing.

Loxey looked confused as she saw the drink that Nick was pointing to: "Passionfruit Punch Medley." She rolled her eyes as she said, "Nick, we're not actually here to get _legitimately_ drunk."

Nick just grinned. "Exactly..." he said with a sneer, "but maybe _he_ is. Look, the plan is simple: we load this skunk up with enough juice and he'll be putty in our paws. He'll be so drunk he won't know which way is up or down. Then, when he's at that perfect level of inebriation, _boom_ , we take his wallet, cell phone, I.D., anything that can give us a clue as to who he is. I have a very strong hunch that this skunk knows who our culprit is."

Loxey looked dumbfounded. She blinked her eyes a couple of times in disbelief and let Nick have it. "Nick, I have never heard of such a stupid, far fetched idea. One, you're not even sure this skunk knows who are suspect is. Two, there's no guarantee that his info will be legit. Three..."

"Look, if you have a better idea, please enlighten me," Nick said, crossing his arms in front of him and narrowing his eyes at her. "But in my honest opinion, this is our best shot."

Loxey frowned, then heaved a heavy sigh. "Fine, fine...let's get this over with. But Nick Wilde, I swear, if this goes south I'll make sure your badge is toast...got it?"

Nick just smiled his trademark sly smile and said, "Yeah, sure, got it," he said without much emotion. "Now, let's get this guy as drunk as a..."

"DON'T...say it!" Loxey said as she slapped her forehead with her paw. She sighed again and realized that she was defeated. In all honesty, she definitely had no better plan in place, and as much as she hated to admit it, Nick's plan was sound. As long as they played their part, the operation would go over without a hitch. "Okay, order the drinks," she said firmly. "Let's do this."


	11. Chapter 11: The Stakeout

Chapter 11: The Stakeout

Judy waited patiently behind a solid brick wall for Kyle, her eyes fixated on the large brick building in front of her. According to the mission brief, an animal suspected to have ties with the suspect always had a game night at this very building, and chances are that he/she were going to show up right on schedule as usual.

Suddenly, she heard a bit of rustling behind her. She turned around quickly to see Kyle, dressed all in black with a bit of camo face paint adorning his features. "Sorry Judy, did I startle you?" he asked, kneeling beside her.

"A little, but it's going to pale in comparison to the excitement we feel tonight," she said with a smile as she handed Kyle a small cup of coffee. He graciously took it and treated himself to a prolonged sip. So far, not much was happening. A couple of rhinos pulled up, each of them riding motorcycles, and slowly made their way inside, laughing and clapping each other on the back. A few minutes later, a leopard pulled up in a fancy sports car, checking out his appearance in the side mirror before he also made his way inside.

"All of these animals...they look like they're worth a million bucks," Kyle said as he held his coffee loosely between his webbed paws.

"That just means our target must be close to showing up too," Judy said, intently looking through her binoculars and not willing to miss a single detail. Finally, after about an hour of waiting, a black sedan pulled up, along with two vans of the same color flanking it on either side. A few moments passed, after which a medium build jaguar got out. He was wearing a white suit with a red tie and hat, complete with a large feather adorning the top. The animal matched the description of their target to a T. "Kyle, look, there he is," Judy exclaimed, excited yet still keeping her cool.

"Target sighted," Kyle said with a sly grin as he dumped the last bit of his coffee on the ground. He looked over at the bunny and gave her a nod as he said, "Let's do this partner."

Judy returned the nod, and they sprang into action. Once there was no one else in sight, they made their way to the back of the building. There was a large lattice structure leading to the upstairs section of the house...that was their ticket inside. Judy took charge, using her powerful paws and legs to propel herself upwards. Kyle stayed close behind, both of them making sure to stay as quiet as possible. Once they reached the window, Judy used a tool inside of her utility belt to pry the window open, and they both clamored inside.

They found themselves in what appeared to be a storage area. It was full of old tables, games, vinyl records, and even a jukebox. "Geez, look at all of this stuff," Kyle whispered, "there's a lot of money just sitting around up here."

Judy rolled her eyes as she said, "I guess when you're as rich as those animals down there are you can afford to just sock this stuff away." She looked around for a bit longer until she spotted the staircase that would lead them downstairs. "Look, there's the way down," she said, motioning with her head to the staircase. "Let's move."

The two made their way to the staircase, the sounds of voices getting louder and louder. Once they were at the bottom, they both hid behind a decent sized bookcase, waiting for any semblance of a clue. One of the large rhinos was the first to speak.

"When's Tony comin'?" He had a gruff, intimidating voice that seemed to echo through the entire building.

"Don't ask me, I ain't his watch," the other rhino said as he lit a cigar and sent puffs of smoke billowing across the room. A few moments later, the leopard appeared, carrying a various assortment of drinks and snacks. Both rhinos graciously helped themselves to a bag of chips, ignoring both manners and restraint. "Thanks Chet, these are my favorite!" the rhino with the cigar said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, mine too," the leopard said with obvious distaste. He coughed a bit as some of the cigar smoke wafted up to his nose.

Judy was watching intently until she felt a light tap on her shoulder. "Let's get just a little closer," Kyle whispered, motioning with his head towards a table that was covered with a cloth that nearly reached the ground. Judy nodded in agreement and they both waited until all of the animals at the table were fully engrossed in their card game before they made their move. Swiftly, carefully, they crawled along the floor until they were both under the table, now within just a few feet of the other animals.

"So what happens now?" the jaguar whom they had seen earlier asked, his voice booming throughout the room. "The boss is free now, but he's public enemy number one. That kinda leaves us in a precarious situation doesn't it?"

"Ah pipe down, or your spots are gonna start turnin' white!" one of the rhinos said with a laugh. "The boss said he was gonna take care of all of us, so that's what he's gonna do. I have faith in him, and so should you. Now, aces are high, jokers are wild; let's play some cards!"

"If I were you, I would be very concerned," the jaguar's voice spoke once again, along with the shuffling of cards. "We're not only going to be on his bad side, but we'll be harboring a known criminal; that's a double no-no."

"Everything will be fine, Lance," the other rhino said, obviously annoyed. "Besides, once we uncover what we lost down there, everything will be back to normal." A short silence prevailed before he said, "I see your dollar, and I'll raise you a dollar...heh, was never really good at this game, but I'm feeling pretty good about this hand!"

Just then, Judy heard Kyle's breath hitch slightly, and noticed that he was crossing his eyes. "Kyle, you okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," he whispered back, "it's just all the dust under this table is..." before he could finish, he let out a loud sneeze that echoed across the house. Judy tensed up, and at about that time a strong pair of hooves grabbed both of them with considerable force. "Gesundheit," one of the rhinos said with a sneer at Kyle. They had been caught, and there was no telling what this ragtag gang of animals had planned as their punishment.


End file.
